Decorah-posten., 1887-05-25
tses aars.
AN ADDRESS.
- At the DEBORAH Celebration Of
=. 9TH of May, by A. K. Bailey.

hn Ttore rises wildly before my mind on
lively May day. a pleasant %recollec.
this 10 another such beautiful day more
uon =, ouarter of a century ago. This
tnan psth anniversary of my first
E,oessing a celebration OF the 18th oil
WIZ We'll do | remember the intense
Nay. with which I regarded the event.
in'elo o;ntance with the Norwegian branch
Acqur ~ buman race was then of only a
Of moeks' duration, and the novelty of
lev "ssociations was yet fresh and keen.
ne " indeed, to me, was that gather
ont the long-ago. Still stranger seem
lIs ,be purpose for which the multitude
ed "siembled. 1t would be a pleasant
haa pa. 60 contrast the past with the present,
'S'H note the changes which time has
anu aabt in the interval. The partici-
V-where are they? Those who
Pao Young are now growing venerable
N%..lhv,ybite hair and beard; and the aged
~ have, many of them, passed to the
hOnyne from whence no traveller returns.
pnt retrospection, however agreeable, is
l", my purpose. Neither is this the
lime or place.
have said the purpose for which the
~-'omblace had gathered was strange.
ri NAV be excused n0D for saying it, it
,aomed to me then homogeneous and in
snnropriate for the people of one nation
XIV who had sought a home within the
Iomain of another, because the new
aorntry offered them blessings and privi-
Iscss. advantages and benefits, prosperity
AND ~bappiness, they could not obtain as
idly in their own kingdom. to be so
earnestly engaged in keeping alive and
uerpetuating the political associations
and traditions of their native land. 1t
was not enough to be told, as | was
his is the Norwegian Fourth Of July.
In America the first thought is, there
can he but one Fourth of July. Excuse
me if ! say the idea is a natural one to
ali who stand in the condition | then
occupied. As time passed on, and |
came TO know more fully the events
which are celebrated on these anniversary
DAYS, and the deeper significance under
wing all patriotic expressions became
more clearly understood, this early, crude
impression passed easily into mi of
qualification and approval. And now,
i seems to me that every loyal American
can unite joyously in such a demonstra
ton as this to-day. The key note is
berty-Equality-Fraternity.
Liberty to all men under law.
Equality of all to every privilege which
opportunity and talents may open to the
citizen.
Fraternity in the spirit of Freedom
which animated our fore fathers when
they laid the foundations Of this govern
ment,
apprehend few Americans under
stand as the Norwegian, educated both
in the customs and laws of his father
land and this his adopted country, com
prehends the lines of parallel on which
the government of M country under
the Republic and that of Norway, since
the nth of May, 1914, have run. Some
of those who may be listening to-day
NAV regard it as a strong declaration to
say that, excluding the Republics organ.
lied on the pattern of the United States
of Notwithstanding these, | say
there is no government on the globe so
akin to our own as that which Norway
secured by the events of ''the day we
celebrate" occurring 20 years ago. Be
fore that period Norway had been the
football of nations, so to speak, for two
or more centuries. The Independent
spirit of the Vikings had been in part
crushed out by the strong hands of
stronger neighbors, and her people ex-
listed as a dependency now of Sweden,
again of Denmark, and again of the
former. Proud as the Norwegian may
be of the intrepid spirit, the gallant
deeds, and bold acts of his f~orefathers,
that for ten generations gave her place
and power among nations, entirely be-
yOnd the relative rank she bore for pop
ulation in the great family of nations,
he cannot quote these two centuries as
Illustrating aught but decline and weak
ness. But in 1914, a new light broke
upon the spirit of the people, and with
an inspiration akin to that of u fathers
when they met and declared that life,
liberty and the pursuit of happiness are
inalienable rights-with a wisdom born
OF Heaven-the act was done, the consti-
tuition written by which Norway became
no longer the subject, the dependency,
OF another nation, but the associate and
equal of her nearest sister, with no ties
10 bind her save those which grow out
OF good government, and exact justice.
The Constitution of May nth, 1914,
IKE our Declaration of Independence of
July 4th, 1915, was an enunciation of
principles. AT first it was but a mere
expression of the deep-seated purpose
and feeling of the people. Time alone
could determine whether either docu-
ment would become mere bits of rheto-
TIC, or the foundation stones on which
could be built the splendid and beauti-
,ul structures of national life, glorified
Sy order and law, peace and prosperity.
seven years of war followed our Declar-
suon OF independence; but actual free
uoh came at last as a glorious boon to
se world. The Constitution of Eds
sold created Norway a free and indie
PENDENT sovereignty, SO far as resolutions
anu a paper edict could make it such.
a contest followed, but a few months
decided the issue; and Norway became
ao'ually free and independent, but not
- AZ hrst intended with a Danish prince
y sovereign. From that day to this
nofway has been a government of the
P'VP,e, by the people and for the people.